I am having quite a hard time dealing with this. My boyfriend just left today quite early in the morning. Everything just feels so unreal. I hope I can survive these next 7 months. Anyone have any good advice to stay strong?

For right now, do whatever you need to do. Cry, eat comfort foods, WHATEVER. The first two or three days are definitely the worst. I know the first few days for me, I just sat around and cried, watched movies, and scrapbooked with a bunch of pictures we'd taken the few weeks before he left. Do whatever you need to do to start dealing with this.
Then get up and get out of the house. For me, it's the worst when I'm sitting around doing nothing. Get a new hobby, join a gym, take a class. Anything to take your mind off it for a little bit each day. It doesn't really get easier, just easier to cope with. If you keep busy, the time will start to pass by a little bit faster.
Stay strong, come on here whenever you need some support or just someone to talk to. All the women here are great and at least one will be able to relate to something you have to say.
Just stay strong and hang in there!! :hugehug

it just seems so hard... like all day today i cant stop crying and i cant even eat anything.. i just feel so hopeless.

Yeah, I know EXACTLY how you feel.
The feeling I had on the first day was the absolute worst feeling ever. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. It was like this big empty, void feeling, not only in my heart, but all over my body. I remember I was walking around the craft store, and I almost felt like a zombie. I was just dragging my feet along, going up and down every aisle, almost not even looking at anything, just kind of walking along. It was the strangest, worst feeling.
I felt like that the first few days, not as bad as the first day, but kind of the same.
It all started to get a little better when I got my first phone call. I think just not hearing from him when I was feeling like that made it so much worse, but I knew that I would have to be patient until he was able to call. But when he did, it was the best feeling. I got butterflies when I heard my phone ring and saw it was him. Then after that, I mean, it doesn't really get "easier" to deal with, you just start learning HOW to deal with it.
You WILL make it through. I know it doesn't seem like it now (hell, I'm only 18 days into this thing and I'm starting to sound like I'm a pro at this or something), but you will make it. You have to stay strong for him and for yourself. We can't let deployments take over our lives.

The first month = hell. You can do it though. Just stay extra busy and don't be afraid to get it all out. :hugs

Stay busy...you just stay busy! Keep your head up...say your prayers...and think positive! Keep on keeping on :hugs! I promise after the first month things will go by faster!

For me after the first month it got easier to deal with but after 2 months, I actually wanted to do more. But the first few days are pure hell! But then it's like I looked back and realized day by day that I was making it, so I finally wake up and wanted to get out & do things. My cell phone is still attached to me, but I get out and do things now. I still cry, but just not as bad all the time. This isn't an easy task - going through deployment, but we're the strong ones that can make it through! Stay busy and strong. We're here for ya!

I sure appreciate all of your girls support and advice. I am starting to feel a little better. It sucks though.. I go through stages where I think I'm fine again, but then I end up crying. I know as time progresses things will get better.

The first month = hell. You can do it though. Just stay extra busy and don't be afraid to get it all out. :hugs

Listen to this girl. The first month sucks. Im going through it right now. Im in such a rut right now, but Im going to tell you be strong and stick with it. Theres going to be a light at the end of the tunnel (Im still looking for my light). When you need to cry....do it. You will feel better. Dont stay home, get out (If it wasnt 110 degrees here I would). Be strong, come here to vent, the women here are wonderful and are a great place to come to for advice. They've been there done that.

The first day is the worst!! I felt like my heart was ripped from my chest. It takes a little while to adjust and everyone is different. My advice is to let yourself feel all the emotions.. cry - let it out!! Then get busy! Find things you want to get done around the house, dive into your hobbies, call up your girlfriends and MAKE PLANS!! You'll get into a routine - and that's good. Check in on this site frequently.. the ladies are awesome and will help you get thru the days that are hard and they'll help celebrate the good things (the first phone call, the first email, etc)!! Just remember that YOU CAN DO THIS!! :hug

give yourself the first couple of days to feel sad...its normal the first couple of weeks are the hardest but you can get through this...stay busy...don't let your life be this deployment...

we are all here for you

The first month = hell. You can do it though. Just stay extra busy and don't be afraid to get it all out. :hugs

:agree The first 3 weeks I was an emotional train wreck, even going so far as to accuse DB of actually being here in the states and not actually gone. Like I said, train wreck. But you get used to it. You get into a routine and start building your own little deployment bubble, devoid of all news of the Middle East and filled with supportive loved ones, fun activities, and general busyness.

is there anything he needs help with? i find if my dh assigns me little tasks it makes me feel better because i feel like i am helping him out and being an extragood wife. also why not go out and start gathering things for a care package? it's never too early to send one out, especially since it will take a while to get there. i joined a gym and made a goal to lose 30 pounds by the time mine comes home. even if you don't need to lose weight just going makes you feel better because you can take all those frustrations and (to sound really super gay) channel them into positive energy. i wish my gym had a punching bag but i haven't found one yet. even if you just go for a run or go swimming sometimes if you do it in a really angry way it helps. i dunno that's just what i do. and sometimes i yell at my cats and say "DON'T JUDGE ME, CAT!!!" because trust me it still makes me a little :screwy.

I spent the first two or three days crying and then I just started back with my every days life... You'll make it honey.. I have faith in you and so does all these other girls!!!

:hugs Hang in there and stay busy!

I went up to my sister's house an hour away and moped for the entire weekend after DB left. It was the one place that I knew I could go and be sad and not have to try and put on a happy face for everyone around me for a little while. I got to cry when I wanted to - no questions asked.

After that I just kept myself as busy as possible and out of the house as much as I could (being in the house meant being alone and having time to think about it for me). I am now coming up to the one month mark and while it has been really hard I feel like I have finally settled into a schedule for myself and DB has gotten settled in on his end and we have had time to kind of work out a communication schedule and established expectations.

The first month is hard but it is starting to get easier...aside from just missing him terribly!

Surprisingly today was not so bad. I walked my dogs and I also went to the pool and I started to feel happy again. Right now I am not feeling too bad actually. For day 2, I had a great day... of course its never the same without my man.